(The Best Years in Life)
Depression has become a modern day
epidemic, affecting close to 19 million
Americans, which is almost ten percent
of the population. Depression is a sign
your life is out of balance in some way,
and the pharmaceutical houses that make
drugs to treat depression want us to
believe the imbalance is chemical. Yet
medications designed to alter brain
chemistry often do more harm than good,
and natural, safer methods that treat
depression seem to produce the best
results.

The premise that depression is due to a
chemical imbalance in the brain has no
scientific backing. In fact, studies
were done several decades ago to see if
low serotonin levels were responsible
for depression, and in 1983 the National
Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)
reported, “There is no evidence that
there is anything wrong in the
serotonergic system of depressed
patients.”

We all experience traumas in our lives
that cause sadness, grief and feelings
of helplessness. When we take serotonin
blocking drugs (SSRI’s) we block the
normal reuptake of serotonin, and we are
left with the exact same condition that
these drugs are designed to treat, low
serotonin levels! Taking SSRI’s sets up
a chain of events, the root cause of
which, according to Dr. Steven Hyman
(head of the NIMH in 1996), is the brain
operating in a way that is “both
qualitatively and quantitatively
different than normal.” This abnormal
operation, which cascades throughout the
body, results in side effects ranging
from uncomfortable to dangerous,
including sexual dysfunction, mania,
violence, and even suicide.

Grief, particularly the loss of a loved
one, is a common cause of depression,
but there are other common causes that
can seriously impact a person’s life.
These include unhappy home life,
divorce, the end of a special
relationship, moving to a new location,
loss of a job, financial loss, being
diagnosed with a chronic or terminal
illness, disability, and loss of
independence after a severe accident or
illness. There are many other life
experiences that result in grief.
However, it should be noted that grief
is a normal response to a major loss. It
is a process that we must go through,
albeit a very painful one. The normal
period to grieve after a loss is said to
be a year, but for many the feelings of
loss remain longer.
Depression can very well be treated
naturally and, by implementing certain
lifestyle changes, an individual might
be amazed at how much better s/he feels,
both emotionally and physically.

Psychologists like us to think that
addressing a depression makes it go
away, but this is often not the case.
Until depression runs its natural
course, relaxation exercises,
meditation, yoga, and emotional freedom
technique (EFT) help to relieve stress,
despondency, and anxiety. There are EFT
practitioners available that help to
treat serious conditions.

Diet choices can greatly influence mood and emotional state. Avoiding sugar, grains, processed foods, junk foods, fast foods, etc. will help to normalize insulin and leptin levels, which have a lot to do with depression. Make sure to supplement your diet with high quality Omega 3′s. At least two studies have pointed to a strong link between low rates of Omega 3 consumption and depression.

Include foods in your diet that have a beneficial affect on your serotonin level. These include sunflower seeds, nuts, fish, chicken, turkey, cottage cheese, eggs and beans.

Getting plenty of sunshine to insure optimum Vitamin D levels is also important in treating depression. Low vitamin D levels are associated with depression. While you are getting sunshine, go for a walk. Walking offers a feeling of liveliness to counter feelings of depression.

Supplements that relieve depression include: Colloidal Gold, SAMe, 5-HTP, and St. John’sWort. Note that these supplements should not be taken together with antidepressants or other drugs used to treat depression or anxiety.

Luella May is a
natural health advocate and author
helping people to heal naturally. Her
articles appear in several online
venues, including Natural News,
AlignLife and CureZone. Luella is in
the midst of editing her eBook, "The 8
Invisible Stains of Our Souls" which
will be available in the next few
months. She partners with Tony Isaacs,
who authors books and articles about
natural health including"Cancer's
Natural Enemy".Luella
a partner and contributor of The Best
Years in Lifewebsite
for baby boomers and others wishing to
avoid prescription drugs and mainstream
managed illness and live longer,
healthier and happier lives naturally.
Luella co-moderates the CureZone"Ask
Tony Isaacs featuring Luella May"forum
as well as the Yahoo Health Group"Oleander
Soup"and
hosts her own yahoo group focusing on
the natural wellbeing of pets. You
can listen to Luella and her partner
Tony Isaacs every Wednesday evening on
The Best Years in Life Radio Show.

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